Naho's Nightmare
by UnknownInkStain
Summary: Naho makes a deal with Sachiko following the events at Heavenly Host Elementary. For a certain Kisaragi Academy student, she will go to the limits of her abilities. However, complications will arise and conflict will occur, will her scheme turn against her?
1. Deal

_"Sachiko, in light of what has happened and those who have managed to escape these grounds, I wish to make a deal with you..."_

_"I'm listening," the girl in the red dress spoke._

_"I can guarantee eight of the nine souls of the Kisarahi Academy group be trapped to these grounds forever, Sachiko-san..."_

_"Oh? Really? How fascinating! More people to play with! But how?"_

_"Please, alter time, and bring me to life! Undue my death, and mix our times! I promise, you eight of the nine to be trapped here for eternity! Just please, give me a shot! Eight out of nine is better than four out of nine!_

_"Consider it doable, but why?"_

_"I wish to get to know one of them better..."_

_"I see. If you fail your promise, you are to suffer here, for an eternity of eternities, to rot here and forever be one of my spiritual entities"_

_"I understand! Sachiko-san, I beg of you."_

_"Consider it done, Naho-san. Do not break your promise."_

_"Arigato, Sachiko-san."_

_There was a massive earthquake. Sachiko, faded into oblivion as the room shook harder and harder. The floor I knelt on collapsed and opened up into a vast black cavern, swallowing me and the nearby desks and tables nearby into its tangible blackness. The dim light from the room, shrunk into the distance as I fell deeper and deeper into the bowels of this black hole until it was no longer visible. There was just blackness I had lost all sense of time and movement, I could have been falling for seconds, minutes, or hours, even days...in fact it didn't even feel like I was falling anymore. Then I heard thunder crash and a lightning bolt flash before my eyes, straining my dilated pupils and blinding my vision. I felt the sensation of wooden ground beneath my knees._

My vision came back, and I was kneeling over a deceased Kou Kibiki. My hands still constricting his neck and wind pipe. Sensei...

I quickly threw myself off of him, scooting as far away from his body as I could until I was up against the wall of the room.

"Sensei! Noooo! Why?!"

A voice echoed in the room, it's speaker not visible. It was Sachiko's voice.

"You, said nothing about your beloved Kibiki-sensei! Hahahahahahahaha!"

The voice and it's cruel laugh trailed off and silenced like the end of a song on a CD.

The darkness, the black mist engulfing my body, I remember it from before. Except this time, instead of consuming me, it began to dissipate, and vanish. Soon i could see myself. I could see my hands, my legs, the blue skirt I wore, the blue jacket I had wrapped around my waist. I could now see the maroon sleeves of the maroon blazer I wore. The Paulownia Academy Highschool uniform. I placed my hands against my chest, and unlike before, I could feel my heartbeat, slow and steady. I had to take a breath of the air, that was refreshing! In my coat pocket, I felt the scrap of the Sachiko Ever After charm proxy doll. It was still there! I felt my breath against my hand. I was alive again. In my inside coat pocket, I found my small notebook. The last page was torn slightly and had handwriting which did not match mine. Crudely written in eerie and large text were the words,"DO NOT FORGET YOUR PROMISE!"

Right, now down to business. If Sachiko did appeal to all my parameters, then the time period of my interactions in this world and when the nine souls from Kisaragi Academy entered this world should be intertwined now.

That boy... Satoshi... I had to find him.


	2. Red Steel

It's been quite a while, quite some time since I had the need to take a breath, it seemed almost unnatural. It's been a while since I've felt my heart beating, it was actually energy consuming. Walking throughout these dark corridors also was a forgotten experience. I had gotten accustomed to phasing where I needed to go. This was exhillerating!

Satoshi Mochida...there was something about that boy that caught my interest, though I couldn't what it was, or what was drawing me to him. Whatever it was, it was strong enough to make me make a deal with a deranged and disturbed spirit, just to find out what it was.

But wait, I had promised Sachiko, eight souls. Eight lives... Eight. Dead. People. How was I supposed to do that when they exist on a multitude of different planes of the same school ground. How was I supposed to travel between the spaces? I was no longer a spirit. I also wandered how was I supposed to take the lives of eight people? I tricked people into coming here for Sensei's sake, and yes most of them lost their lives, but I didn't directly take their lives. I didn't do that, that wasn't me! Now, I had to the dirty work myself! They are going to hate me.

I had wondered through this hallway many times before. Classrooms 1-A, 1-B, 1-C, and...wait, this door wasn't here before! I pulled open the door and poked my head through. It was the same hallway, same rooms, 1-A, 1-B, and 1-C. Identical...interesting. These doors were ways into other planes. These doors would allow me to traverse the many planes of these grounds.

"Hey, you!" A boy's voice called to my direction.

I stepped back into the original closed space I was standing in. It was that other guy, Kishinuma!

I stepped through the door and shut it behind me. He ran for the sliding door. I could hear him trying to open it from the other end, but the door would not even rattle, frozen as if it were a decoration on the wall. Indeed, our timelines had been intertwined, that group was already in this dimension. It was only a matter of time before, I would start running into the others from his school. I advanced down the halls of this particular plane.

I had my piece of the Sachiko charm, and since I am human, did this mean I would be able to escape this realm and return to the real world?now that was an interesting question, that was going in the notebook. To be answered later.

I found myself upstairs outside the girls lavatory. This is where that girl was hanged. I ventured inside. None of the stalls had a rope hanging from the ceiling. Things were different, she should have been done by now. Things were really being changed. When I promised that psychotic little girl eight of nine souls, she must have made it so I would have to do it all myself, or find some way of triggering a fatality.

I began to wonder off towards the stairs of the building, heading to the nursery. Later down the hall around the corner, was the site where a body was supposed to be splat against the wall. Just like everything else, that wasn't here as well. There was a nearby classroom with its door wide open. I looked inside, finding not a living soul, however there was a couple of rotting corpses laying around. On the teachers podium, I saw a glint of something metal. Upon closer examination, I found a pair of steel scissors. The tips of the blades stained a dark and dry crimson. Etched into the desk were the words,"With my regards to the spirit medium."

I placed the scissors in my skirt pocket, deep enough to conceal the scissors completely from sight. Carefully I backed out of the room. How eerie... I bumped into someone. Both the unknown person and myself jumped. The glasses fell off of my face.

"Oh! Oops! My bad! Let me get those for you."

One hand was keeping my balance, one hand had a grip on the scissors in my pocket, ready to strike.

The kind enough person gave me back my glasses. Peering through the lenses again, I saw it was that one other guy, Morishige, the one fond of photographing corpses.

"Hi, I didn't know there were any other survivors around here. Who are you?"

"Naho Saenoki," I responded,"Junior, from Paulownia Academy Highschool."

"Oh, Hi, Sakutaro Morishige, Kisaragi Academy."

"Hi."

"How long have you been here?"

"I just got here recently..." It was truth, I wasn't exactly lying in a way.

"I see. Well, I'd love to talk, but I'm busy looking for my friends. I've already seen two, Satoshi and his little sister, so I feel I'm making progress."

I should probably tell him, they are the most he will probably run into.

"You wouldn't have happened to come across a girl have you? Just a little shorter than me and has a small pony tail on the right side of her head?"

"No, I haven't seen anyone like that matches that description." (Even though I knew exactly who he was talking about)

"Oh, okay then, I must continue looking. I guess I'll see you around!"

Before I could say anything else he was off into the darkness.

_"You let him go? I'm getting impatient, prove to me you will actually go through with your deal, or deal is void!"_

"But..."

_"NOW! It's getting boring! I would have already taken at least two now. Show me you will go through! Start with something simple, Seiko's time is coming up, take the next door on the right. Don't break our agreement!"_

I could not argue, I ran to the specified door, opened it and passed through.

Almost colliding with her, I encountered the Nakashima girl.

"Ah! Hi!" she jumped.

"Hi!"

"Umm, another student, can I help yo-"

"Sorry, I have to use the bathroom urgently!" I took off as fast as I could.

Sure enough, I found Seiko in the bathroom. Alternatively though, she freed herself from, the rope.

If I failed here, I failed completely without even starting. I shut out all other thoughts of reason.

"Oh, can I help you? I'm Seiko Shinohara."

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

"Something wrong?" she questioned.

I drew closer.

"What is your name anyway?" she asked backing away.

"Naho Saenoki, journalist, spirit medium, and student at Paulownia Academy High School," I managed to say.

My grip on the scissors tightened.

"Oh, I think my friend Ayumi talks about you. She's a great fan you know!"

"Please forgive me!"

"Forgive you for wha-"

I grabbed her shoulder and thrusted the scissors, blade first, into her torso. She screamed of shock and pain. What was I doing?! My grip on her body and the scissors loosened. She pushed me away, knocking me to the ground and tossing the scissors to the side.

"WHY?"

"You don't understand, I made a deal, and I can't let anyone stand in the way, I'm sorry!"

The white of her school uniform became more and more red.

I got up and shoved her against the wall, constricting her neck.

She struggled and struggled trying to push me away, but it was futile. She eventually ceased. I released her and she fell to the floor. One out of eight.

"Seiko?"

I turned around, Naomi was standing in the doorway.

"SEIKOOOOOO!"

She glared at me.

"What did you do?!"

There was a rusty pipe on the floor. Naomi charged at me. It was reflex. It was reflex! I grabbed the metal pipe, dodged Naomi's charge and hit her on the back of the head, knocking her unconscious.

A direct hit to the back of the head... She was breathing still, so it wasn't lethal, but it was strong. A hit like that to that part of the head, she wouldn't remember any details, not that I did it, she wouldn't even remember me. Dropped the pipe and ran out of the room, quickly passing through the door I entered through and slammed it shut.

I was breathing heavily, my heart was racing. I collapsed to the floor, back to the wall. My head fell into my hands. What did I just do?!

"Onii-chan! I found someone else!"

That voice...

"Yuka! Don't run off like that!"

The other voice walked up to me saying,"Hi, I'm Satoshi Mochida, this is my little sister Yuka, and you are?"

Satoshi...

I could only look up into his eyes, dropping my gaze almost instantly to the floor. I couldn't look at him at the moment after what I just did.

"I'm Naho, student at Paulownia Academy High School."

"Glad to meet you. You are a survivor too?" he said extending his hand to help me off the floor.

I gladly took it and was about to get up, but not before catching sight of an object on the floor.

On the floor before me, was a bloody pair of steel scissors.

Dripping with blood.


	3. Warmth in the Cold

I took his hand and stood up.

"Nice to meet another survivor here," I said.

"Yeah. You seem nice enough, don't seem like a danger. Why don't you come along with Yuka and I? We can find a way out together!"

"Okay!"

Before departing, I took the scissors and concealed them in my skirt pocket once again.

"So, let me guess you performed the Sachiko Ever After charm too?" I asked.

"Yeah, our friend Ayumi, she wanted to do this charm so we could stay friends forever."

"Yeah."

"And we did, then there was this large earthquake, and the floor opened, and now we are here."

"I see."

"Why are you here?"

"Umm, initially I came looking for someone, but unfortunately I found he was lost to this school. My friend, Sayaka, the person I came here with, she's dead too..."

"Oh... That must be horrible!"

"Yeah, I've settled down now, it's been quite a while since."

"I don't know how I'd be if I lost a friends here."

Yeah...about that...

"Ah, nevermind about that! You are trying to find a way out of here, Naho?"

"Ah, yeah, but I'm not going to be able to get out without others help."

"Really? How do you know?"

"Uhhh, let's just say I know a little bit about group performed charms...?"

"Well, whatever you did back in the life must have been extreme..."

"Well, I was a journalist... I wrote about the supernatural, actually a few people actually follow me."

"Cool! A journalist in high school."

"Yeah... That was me."

"Onii-chan," the little girl called,"I have to use the bathroom!"

"Okay Yuka, I guess we could try the girls-"

"It's locked,"I interrupted,"The door won't open."

"Oh," Satoshi answered,"Yuka, can you hold it?"

"Mm."

"We'll try to find another one, alright?"

"Okay..."

We continued to wander the halls of Heavenly Host Elementary. The usually thin classroom dry wall, was impossible to break through, even though it's physical state appeared weakened as they were cracked all across. Not a sign of foreign life.

"Satoshi, has anyone ever umm...liked you back in reality?"

His cheeks flared red and his sister threw on this really cheeky and devious smile.

I had my notes out and open, so when he turned around it appeared as though I was reading, writing, and note taking.

"W-Why do you ask?"

"Juust looking for possible reasons why everyone is here..." I couldn't help but grin at his embarrassment.

"Uh, my personal things are none of your concern!" he was embarrassed!

"Awwh! Satoshi...c'mon don't be so boring!"

"Nononononono, no."

I shoved him slightly at the arm. "C'mon! Liven up the mood."

He was reder than red balloon. But it seemed that he wouldn't answer.

"Onii-chan hasn't had anyyone like him before, but he had liked someone."

"YUKA! I don't go spilling your secrets," he blurted out.

"Who was it? What was her name," I asked, pen ready.

"Nakashima Naomi! She's actually here with us!"

That girl... Seiko's friend. She was now officially in my way.

"Hahahahahahahaha, that girl! I think I've ran into her a bit ago!"

"You did?!" Satoshi was now giving me his utmost attention, like a dog obeying his master. "Where?!"

"Umm.."

I shouldn't have said that.

"It was, probably my imagination, I thought I saw her with a girl. But now that I remember...it was just a corpse.

"Oh... I see..."

Satoshi's head dropped, like his spirit had been crushed. It seemed like he wanted to help people.

I sniffled. It was getting really cold in here. Even with a blazer. In the presence of spirits, it is said that the temperature would either go really cold or really hot in a seemingly random fluctuation. I actually have found that in here, in Heavenly Host Elementary, since the grounds are based entirely off of spiritual energy, the temperature would stay normal when there was an abundant amount of spiritual energy around, but in dead zones, where there were very few spirits around in a particular spot, the temperature would drop. To normal people it's usually unnoticeable, but to a spirit medium, it would affect us big time. I could see my breath! These temperature differences would only affect a spirit medium, and when it did, it would physically affect us, but only we could feel the effects.

I sniffled, and coughed, even a slight whimper would escape. It was really, really, really, cold! My breath was actually visible, and my walking pace slowed.

"Naho-san, are you alright?"

"Yeah, it's just...really really cold here."

"Naho, it's room temperature, are you sick or something? Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine, it's just... It would take a while to explain everything, I'm fine really."

"Let me see if I could help you out, since you are cold."

"No no, its fine," I said backing away from his advance," It's fine really, it's just-"

Before I could finish, Satoshi pulled me into a strong hug.

I wasn't really acquainted with physical contact much, the most I had experienced was when Sensei would pat me on the head, never had I really experienced a hug with a guy. Before anything else, I felt my face get really warm.

"Jeez, you are really cold! It's like you are a block of ice," Satoshi remarked.

My heart was racing, I'm sure I've read this was a sign of cardiac arrest, but I couldn't pull away, Satoshi was notably very warm. I put my arms around his back. Yeah, he was warm. A slight smile came across my face, ever so slightly, but it was there. I was actually warming up out of this cold.

"Onii-chan, this is the longest you've ever hugged a girl! You haven't even really hugged Nakashima-san longer than a couple of milliseconds." Oh that girl was really a mood-killer.

Satoshi, feeling m body heat return to a normal, sustainable temperature loosened his embrace and slowly withdrew. I, not wanting things to get awkward, did the same.

"Feel better?" His cheeks were a bit red.

I could only nod in response before saying,"Thank you."

I turned and saw my reflection in a nearby classroom window. My cheeks were glowing- No. Emanating a red aura, and I had a really childish, hungover-like smirk across my face. I quickly turned away and tried to regain my usual calm composure. Embarrassment, I hope he didn't notice. No, how could he? He was the same!

"Well, uh, Naho, let's...continue our search for the others. Faster we get out of this joint"

"Yeah..."

Satoshi, was a great guy. Kind spirited and optimistic. The same qualities I had interest in with Kibiki-Sensei...


	4. Searching the Grounds

"I think we should look for a bathroom,"Satoshi began,"It's not very comfortable, nor is it healthy, I think, to hold stuff in this long."

Yuka, could not really stand still too long.

"Yeah, it really is not good," I acknowledged.

We have went to the girl's lavatory and sure enough it was locked, not even rattling in its rails.

There had to be something I could do. The doors!

"I'll try to find something! Just wait here! ...Or actually, don't wait here, don't stay in one place to long, I don't trust this place. I'll be back Satoshi!"

I quickly ran for the door to the next dimensional plane. I threw it open and rushed through. I wanted to satisfy Satoshi, I just want him to hug me again, to hold me close like he did.

The door slid shut behind me. A whole different world again.

The halls were really really dark in this one. There was a sound of a heavy metal object dragging against the wooden floor. A large,undead man brandishing what seemed to be a sledge hammer, appeared from the darkness. It was the teacher, Yanagihori, Sachiko's muscle man.

I had to keep it together, I had to find a solution for Satoshi. I calmly thought of some options. But as I was thinking, the large man swung his large hammer at me. I ducked out of the way just in time, and the hammer impacted the wall. I took off as fast as I could down the hallway, looking for another way out. I was alive, so I was a target. Note to self don't get caught by him. Already experienced a death here once, not by him, but I certainly did not want to experience a death of his works.

Another door! Perfect. I tried to yank it open, but this one was really resisting. The large gray man was closing fast, sledge hammer dragging against the creaky, hollow, wooden floor. He brought his hammer up for another swing.

Come on...Come on! Stupid door!

The door finally opened and I ran through, slamming it shut behind me. The door sounded off with a WHACK, as the hammer struck the wooden door. The door held strong and that world was now behind me.

Finding a suitable solution for Satoshi was now a goal of mine, but I had to fulfill my deal with Sachiko if I wanted to continue with Satoshi... It was not going to be easy.

"Hey, you're a new face," a deep voice called to me.

I turned to the direction of its origin, but the moment I turned, I saw who it came from. Standing a little distance away. Standing taller than I was, wearing his white shirt, and holding his school blazer over his shoulder, was Yuuya Kizami, the tall gruffly voiced second year. I had my scissors held firmly behind my back.

"You can put down whatever bladed weapon you have behind your back. The knife I've found is much bigger and is serrated, the fact I don't have it drawn means I have no intention of causing harm to you."

I loosened my grip, and slowly put the scissors back in my skirt pocket, still keeping my hand close by.

"I'm actually busy looking for something currently, I guess I'll see you around," I said walking away.

"Yeah, see you 'round. Do take care, unfortunate things have been happening to people who venture out alone. Hahahahahahahaha!"

Yup, he was losing it. I had to stay away from him as much as I could. I passed through another door down the hall.

Another empty corridor, there had to be a decent, usable rest area somewhere here, none of the planes were 100% identical.

"Hi! I didn't think I'd see another survivor here!" a girls voice called to me.

"Hey, I've seen her before. Hey! You again! Maroon blazer! Yes, you! Do you you know what exactly is going on, and how we can return to normal life?"

It was Yoshiki and Ayumi. The other spirit medium and the boy who likes her.

"Hi," I shyly said.

The girl gasped.

"Naho-san? Thee Naho-san?!"

"Yep, that's me..." Must be a fan of mine.

"The famous journalist and supernatural investigator?"

"Yup..."

"Wow...I'm a serious fan."

And...that's probably why you're stuck here...

"Hi, I'm Ayumi, this is my friend Yoshiki, we got stuck in this place a while back and are trying to find some means of escaping. Though, I did not think I would run into you down here!"

"I'm sorry to hear..."

"Why are you down here?"

"I was, uh looking for my Sensei, and conducting a field research on this place, however, I found him dead, and I am actually looking for a way out right now..."

I began to walk off.

"It was nice meeting a fan, but I am quite busy looking around."

"Wait, Naho-san! We are looking for our friends! Did you happen to see any of them?" Yoshiki sounded a bit provocative.

"I don't much appreciate your tone! If you really wanted to ask someone something, especially if you really really need to them to answer, you should do so, POLITELY!"

"Yoshiki! Be nicer to Naho-san! She knows a lot more than you do right now," Ayumi stepped in.

"No, there is something about her I don't trust! I ran into her before and she just ran off, like she was hiding something. Now here she is, and now her hands are bloodstained, she did something!"

I looked at my hands and sure enough, the hand that held the scissors had a moderate amount of dried blood on my palms. Not blaringly obvious, but it could be spotted.

"Where did that come from?" Yoshiki was starting to get on my case.

"Umm...well, you see, there was this girl who tried to end my life. She was no longer sane and had been lost to darkening. She had me up against the wall in this suffocating grip. I was choking to death, but luckily, my hand came into contact with a pair of scissors nearby and I had no choice but to drive these scissors through her stomach. This pushed her back and I was able to get away."

That had to be the most tall tale lie I'd ever said, but he seemed to take it.

"I still don't trust her Ayumi!"

"Yoshiki, your overreacting!"

"She's saying she killed a girl, it could have been one of our friends for all we know!"

"It couldn't have been, neither of our friends would do such a thing! And besides, it was self defense!"

"You seriously trust her? We barely know her!"

"You don't know her, I know her, this girl is not one to lie... Right, Naho-san?"

"Yeah..."

(Even though a really big lie of mine is responsible for all you being here in the first place...)

"Before I go, I must say a few things to you. Do be careful wandering these halls and don't stick too close with others, because you never know when one could lose their mind, or fall to the darkening... And you shouldn't trust to many people, even me because down here...we all have a little hidden agenda."

Before any of them could respond, I disappeared into the door to another closed space.

I had to make progress, and I had a deal to uphold. I also had an open bathroom to find.

A soft voice came from the dark.

"Is someone there? I can hear your steps."

From the nearby classroom, came a girl with a Kisaragi High School uniform. She was alone. I held the scissors in my palms but still inside the pocket.

Pony tail on the right side of the head, and shorter than that guy Sakutaro Morishige. This was Mayu.

She was actually accompanied by a young adult, a teacher it seemed.

I placed the scissors on a nearby stool, and stood there, thinking about getting back with Satoshi... It had been quite a while since I left him. I hope he's still okay. I had to return soon, I just wanted to be with him now. Just a few things to finish here beforehand...

**So, I've watched the anime, read the manga, watched gameplay from beginning to end of Corpse Party, and looked information about our main character through the wikia... Got to say, I adore Naho, her mysterious ways and hidden agendas, combined with her seemingly always calm composure and intelligence make her such an interesting character, and it's very entertaining to write off of her characteristics. The ship between, Satoshi and Naho...well, Satoshi is a pretty well rounded dude, and Naho is pretty cute, mixing the two of them, since there isn't any other ship with Naho, other than with her friend, I thought would be great! I think they'd look great together. Anyways, yeah there are quite a bit of out of character moments here, but hey, it's fanfiction, why not add a little color to a barely touched on character? Anyways, let me know what you guys think. I love and appreciate reviews and comments. PLZ REVIEW, let me know how I'm doing so far, maybe throw in a few minor plot details and suggestions, I may consider including things to the plot I've thought of. (The details and the intricate, elaborate stuff I make up as I go...)** **Hope you are enjoying my story! Things are going to get interesting from here!**


	5. Darkness

"What's your name?" their teacher asked.

"Saenoki, Naho. Student at Paulownia Academy High School."

How many times have I used that introduction...

"Oh, Hi Saenoki-san, I am Ms. Yui. And this is Mayu."

"Hi,"Mayu called.

"Hi," I responded.

"How long have you been down here?"

"I've been here for quite a long time. Let me guess, you performed a charm and ended up here."

"Yeah! Say, you're Naho...the supernatural journalist... My friend Ayumi would talk lots about you!"

"Everyne who meets me says they recognize me and either have friends that love my work or have friends that love my work," I chuckled.

"Yeah, it's probably true. If what you wrote is that good, you must be really popular!"

"Actually, in school I wasn't really popular with people, I was seen as a loner and an outcast who kept to herself reading books and writing in a notebook. I didn't really socialize much, in fact the only person who actually liked being with me was my best friend Sayaka."

"Oh... That's unfortunate..."

"Yeah,even she was lost to this place..."

"I'm sorry..."

"No, it's okay. I'm settled about it, it was my fault she died, I'm to blame."

"You were just trying to do some harmless charm to stay the closest of friends! It can't have been your fault."

"I knew the consequences of the charm, we went in here looking for my Sensei."

"Oh I see- Wait. You knew the charm would do bring you here?"

I was sitting on the same stool I set the scissors down on when she hit me with that question. I jumped a little. In my telling of my life story, I gave a little too much information. The scissors fell to the floor.

"Saenoki-san you dropped something," Ms. Yui called out, picking them up. "Your scissors..."

The teacher handed the tool back to me.

"Thank you, Ms. Yui..."

"Your scissors a little wet I felt-"

I looked at her. She was staring at her hand. She picked it up by the blades and the blood on them had gotten on her palms.

"What did you do Naho-san?"

"I'm sorry, I had to..."

"What do you mean you had to?! Suzumoto! Get away from her!"

"Wait! What's going wrong?" Mayu was getting frantic.

"I am sorry," I said.

I gripped the scissors and without warning stabbed them through Mayu's mid chest area.

Ms. Yui pushed me away and knocked me to the floor as Mayu collapsed against the wall.

Regaining my stance, I ran for the scissors which were still lodged in Mayu's stomach, but Ms. Yui was determined to protect her student, me away once again, this time pinning me against the floor. I brought my knees to my chest and kicked her away,rushing to Mayu and roughly yanking the scissors from the wound. She would bleed to death, I shouldn't waste my energy finishing her.

"Why? Why Saenoki-san? Why are you doing this?!"

I just charged at her, scissors out in front. She deflected the attack, but the blades cut a gash in her palms. She clutched her hand and glared at me. I attacked again, this time scoring a hit on her left shoulder. I had left the scissors impaled. She stumbled back near a cavernous gap in the hallway.

"Why Saenoki-san? Why are you doing this?"

She was finished anyway.

"F...For Satoshi's sake!"

"Mochida-kun...?" Was all I heard whispered from her mouth as I shoved her over the edge and into the darkness.

I weakly made my way next to a near dead Suzumoto-san, and fell to my knees beside her. The life was fleeting from her eyes and her breath was getting shallow, but she managed to look up to me still.

"W...Wh..W-Why, Saenoki-san?"

I motioned for her to close her eyes and stay quiet.

"This is better than what would have happened."

Indeed, it was better than getting obliterated against the wall.

"But...why? Why would you-...would you do this?"

"Because, I like Mochida-kun..."

"Satoshi...?" She coughed up blood. "Saenoki...T-tell Shige-nii, I-I love him." She slipped away and her eye lids fell shut.

I took the ID tag from her and put in my other skirt pocket with the other girl, Seiko's. I don't know exactly why I was collecting their ID cards, but I felt that eventually I'd have to break it to Mochida-kun that his friends were gone.

I looked down at Suzumoto's life-less corpse. Tears began to flood my eyes with shock as I realized what I had just done.

I ran through the next interdimensional door and collapsed onto the floor once again. I pulled both IDs. Mayu Suzumoto and Seiko Shinohara... Both seemed to be such fine people, their faces smiling brightly on their school pictures... I killed them...and their protective teacher Ms. Yui...

Satoshi...I really need a hug from you right now...

"HELP ME!" That voice sounded really young, and familiar. The speaker was running closer ad closer. "Ah! Naho-san!"

"Yuka?" How did she get here? Where was Satoshi?

She ducked down next to me, grasping my jacket sleeve. I paused. The last person who grasped my sleeves was Sayaka, and I let her down. Yuka was so vulnerable. I am not gonna let her down. I put my arm around Yuka, drawing her near to me. She wrapped her arms around my waist, breathing rapidly. She was scared.

"Yuka, tell me what is the matter."

"Satoshi's friend," she hicced, "Morishige, he's going crazy looking for his friend Suzumoto-san..."

Mayu...

"He was yelling to me, 'If I kill you, your spirit will be freed and you can help me find Mayu!' "

"Yuka, where is he right now?"

She shakily pointed down the hallway into the darkness. "Yuka," a vice called from the dark, "Help your friend Sakutaro won't you. He desperately needs to see his love!"

"Yuka stay here and wait for me. Okay?"

"Okay."

I got up and slowly began walking to the dark depths of the hallway.


	6. Settlement

I was quite some distance into the hallway. I could no longer see Yuka nor could I see Morishige yet.

"Yuukaaa! Won't you help me out? Be a good girl! Come on out!"

His figure appeared from the poor lighting of the hall. His glasses were still on straight, his gakuran spotless, and his trousers still finely pressed, still a sharply dressed student, but his sanity was gone.

"Oh, Saenoki-san. Have you seen Suzumoto-chan?! I really need to see her right now!"

I pulled Suzumoto's ID card from my pocket and held it up between my two fingers. He paused in his advance and stared in my direction for a moment. He lowered his crowbar from his shoulders.

"I have seen Mayu, and I took her life." Morishige fell to his knees on the floor, clutching his head. "She had a final message, 'I love you, Shige-nii.' "

I tossed the ID card over to him. Landing right side up, it slid across the wooden floor and spun to a halt in front of him, Suzumoto's smiling face looking up toward him. He picked it up and examined it, as if to clarify that it was genuine and not some fake. Everything was there: name, age, grade, and student ID number. It didn't take him long to determine it was real.

"You know her fate, now leave Yuka alone!"

I was hoping telling him about her death would settle him back down, but then I remembered that I mentioned I killed her.

His breathing rate increased and each breath got deeper and deeper. He stood back up, his grip on the crowbar stronger.

"You...You killed her? Saenoki? Yo-You killed her! Thats, not very nice, you should apologize.."

I...already did."

"No you didn't. You'd have to be dead to apologize to her truly, and I can help you with that!" He raised his crowbar for attack, then charged forward. I tried to avoid his attack, but his crowbar struck me on the arm. It did hurt, but fortunately nothing was broken. I clutched my arm in pain. Morishige swung again. I tried again to avoid, but I was hit in my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. Crippled, I retreated back down the hall in the direction I came from, I had to use the darkness to my advantage. "Oh so you want to play hide and seek," he yelled, "then let's play!"

The hallway became dimmer and dimmer and darker. Morishige had difficulty seeing. I pushed up against a wall and stayed still. A support column for the ceiling helped conceal my figure further. He strolled past me. A few feet opened between us before I attacked. I pulled down his arms and tried to pin him against the wall, repeatedly slamming the hand that held the crowbar against the wall until it clattered to the floor.

"Morishige-kun, I know the way out of here, I can get you all out of this hell, back to reality, but you have to stop this now!"

He heard none of it and continued to try to resist.

"Morishige please! We can all get out of this!"

He gathered his strength and pushed me away from him, slamming me against the opposite wall. I fell to the floor. He pulled me to the floor, pinning my arms down.

"You think I care? Mayu is gone! There is no reason for me to care anymore!" He pushed down harder against my wrists, with an almost crushing force. He released one of my wrists but moved that hand to my neck, squeezing tightly, constricting air flow. With my free hand I tried to push him away, but it was no use, he was too strong, and too lost. I desperately continued to try and push him away but it was no use. My vision was ever so slowly starting to blur as I struggled for air. I felt around for anything, anything at all that could help, but could find nothing. I felt it was over for me.

Satoshi, he made it out of this place before, and he could do it again. So if I died here, I can take comfort in knowing he will still probably make it out of this place. He would be fine.

But, Yuka. If I died here, I would have failed her. Morishige will hurt her. Then I would be failing Satoshi... I can not fail here. On my last string of life, I desperately felt around for anything, even if it was a splinter of wood from the floor boards. my hand came into contact with a metal object. Morishige's crowbar! I grabbed and took a last effort swing, hitting him in the head. He fell off to the side grasping his now throbbing head, releasing his grip on my neck. I stumbled to my feet, gasping for air and coughing up a storm.

"You'll pay for that!" Morishige charged at me again. This time, I had the bar. I took a swing and hit him in the stomach. He stopped, grasping his stomach and coughing, gasping for air. I took another swing hitting him in the legs, knocking him to the ground. Even with all that pain he still tried to get up. Managing to get up to his knees he still lunged at me attempting a punch. I dodged it easily as it was slower and weaker than it normally would have been. He took another swing, dodging once more, I swung the crowbar hitting him in the back. He was now on the ground. If I left him, he would get up and continue to try to kill me or Yuka.

"Is-...Is that all you got? Just wait til I get back up...you'll see-"

Before he could finish, I hit him again with the bar of metal. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again and again. I continue, non-stop until he was no longer breathing, in truth I really had no idea when he stopped breathing, but I continued non-stop for a number of hits before finally stopping. After I was certain he was done, I dropped the now bloody crowbar, letting it clatter to the floor, and retrieved both Suzumoto's and Morishige's name tags. I could here a slight whimpering a short distance away.

"S...S-Saenoki-san.." I looked up and saw Yuka, scared as ever. I don't recall ever saying my family name in her presence, but Morishige did say it a bunch of times during that conflict. How close was she? Did she witness that whole engagement?

"Yuka," I said taking a step toward her. She took two steps back from me. She was scared of me too right now. She did see what happened.

"Yuka...It's alright. You can trust me." I slowly made my way to her. She whimpered a little more. "I had to, he was going to hurt you. I was protecting you, Yuka."

I had slowly made my way to her, but before I do anything else, she through her arms around me in a tight hug. I gasped a little, still not use to the whole sudden hugs thing. Slowly, I returned the hug, wrapping my arms around Yuka and pulling her in. She was crying moderately. "It's okay, Yuka, you're safe now."

She buried her face in my coat. I could feel the tears accumulating.

After a short while, she started to settle down.

"Yuka, where is your brother?"

"Onii-chan and I were separated after some doors didn't want to open between us anymore."

"What happened?"

"We found a connection to another building. Onii-chan went in first but the doors slammed shut behind him and wouldn't open for me, so I ran back here. The door disappeared after. I'm scared Saenoki-san."

"Don't be, you're strong. Don't worry I'll be with you. I won't let anything happen to you."

For Satoshi's sake.


	7. Time with Yuka

I walked alongside Yuka. Indeed the door to the connecting path between the buildings had disappeared, but I knew that there had to be some other way for me to get to that building.

I had to tell Satoshi the procedure to get out of this place. In this alternate parallel timeline, I haven't been killed and lost to the school, so Sachiko does not have my powers as a medium. So that means they can still get out with ease...theoretically.

I hope he was alright.

"Saenoki-san, what did you do for fun back home?"

"Huh, I uh..." What I considered fun, would be totally different from what she considers fun. "I write and read books about the supernatural and investigate supernatural occurrences. I also liked studying urban legends." Glancing at Yuka and her overall facial expression, I think I just lost her.

"Yuka, does not understand."

"I read and write to pass time, usually about spirits."

"You read or write to pass the time? That's boring though!"

"I am an accomplished writer. I have won quite a few awards for my work, so it does pay off...literally."

"Booooringggg!"

"Well, what did you do for fun?"

"I played with my friends and when I was alone, I'd watch TV or help Onii-chan out."

Yes, her ideas were far different from mine.

"Well, you are more fortunate than me. You see, I didn't really have many friends in school."

"Really? You seem pretty nice Saenoki-san."

"Well, at least here... In reality, I'm pretty quiet. A keep to myself person. And I can sometimes be a jerk to people, so I'm told, especially when I have to repeat myself, I can't stand that. Just because I speak quietly huh, well they should be listening intently!"

I think I just ranted out loud.

"What was that Saenoki-san? I couldn't here you over the quietnesss of your voice," Yuka laughed.

"Don't. Test. Me." I grumbled.

She laughed and laughed, her teasing worked. Even with the steam coming off my head, I couldn't help but smile at her enjoyment.

Up ahead was one of the doors between spaces. I wondered if I could bring Yuka through. I held the door open.

"Yuka, let's go through here."

"Okay!"

I passed through no problem. However, when Yuka tried to cross, it was as if a force barrier kept her from proceeding. Only I could pass through these doors.

"Saenoki-san! I-I can't pass through!"

"I know I know! Umm, hold on let me think of something."

"Hello, is somebody there? Saenoki-chan?"

Mochida-kun!

"Saenoki-san, I can't get through!"

"I know I know Yuka-chan, just, let me think."

"Yuka-chan! There you are!" A deep voice called out from Yuka's closed space.

"Ahh! Saenoki-san! Please help me!"

"Yuka-chan, just calm down and-"

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" She took off running away from the door before I could finish.

A person looked through the door frame, no other than a deranged Kizami Yuuya.

"Ah Saenoki-san. Please excuse, my little sister, I don't know what's gotten into her she really shouldn't be playing hide and seek in this place right now, hahaha. If you'll excuse me, I have to go male sure she doesn't hurt herself... That's my job... Hahahahahahahaha!"

I tried to go back, but he shoved me back and pulled the door shut. I frantically got up and tried desperately to pull it open, but it wouldn't even rattle, like a fixation on the wall.

"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! You stay away from her!"

I pounded on the door, yelled at the door, cursed at the door, and kicked at the door. No effect. Trying once again, it threw open finally, a certain deranged spirit allowed it to open, but it opened up only to a simple dark supple room, the connection was gone. On the floor was a hastily written note. "Haha, try again!" I crumpled up this note and tore it over and over. I slammed the door shut, and continuously opened and shut the door, slamming it over and over again, checking each time to see if the connection had been established. No effect, it was still an empty supply room.

"No!" I collapsed against the door. "Yuka..." I tear formed and rolled down my cheek.

"Saenoki-san?"

I looked at the direction of the voice. It was Satoshi.

"Have you seen anyone from my school, either of my friends, my teacher, or my little sister Yuka?"

More tears filled in.

"I failed you Mochida-kun!" I started sobbing like a total drama case. It couldn't be helped. "I promised Yuka I wouldn't let anything happen to her, then we got separated and now she's vulnerable!"

It wasn't that I was scared Yuka would be caught instantly, I knew that girl can run and hide, especially from that psycho, I've watched her do it when I was an uncaring spirit. It was the fact that she would get caught inevitably that frustrated me. She was trapped in that closed space and wasn't going anywhere.

"Saenoki-chan, just calm down, I've been separated from Yuka too, it's actually my fault she's out alone right now. I should have never went on without her directly by my side. This school's actions can't be helped, there wasn't anything you could have done."

"Mochida-kun, this is all my fault. All of it. Your friends... Oh god they-"

Satoshi pulled me into a really really tight hug. "Saenoki...there was nothing you could have done."

I was going to confess to taking the lives of three of his friends and his teacher, but his hug was so comforting, I couldn't bring myself around to say it. I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in his shirt.

After I was certain the few tears I had were gone, I glanced up at Satoshi, neither one of us releasing the embrace. "I have to get back, I need to find Yuka, I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to her. We have to find your friends, you need to get out of here! It isn't safe for you to be here! The longer you are here, the more danger you are in!"

"We have to appease the spirits of those little kids murdered here and-"

"Nononononono, forget the spirits you need to leave, you can without appeasing them and without appeasing Sachiko!"

"But we were told-"

"Told by who?" I interrupted curiously, immthe one who was supposed to tell them this before. "Who told you?"

"We ran into the spirit of a Sensei Kibiki, apparently he knows you, thinks you are dead."

"No no no, don't listen to that bumbling idiot,he doesn't know what's going on right now, listen to me, we have to find your friends and sister and you have get out of here!"

"But what about you Saenoki-chan? Your piece of charm isn't part of ours."

"I'll...I'll figure something out..."

I knew very well what would happen if I used the wrong piece, and I'll try to see what I can do about it, but Satoshi's safety was all that mattered to me right now.

"I...I know the way out..."

"That's good to know."

He said that as if part of him didn't want to leave.

"Let's find Yuka and the others together, Saenoki-chan."


	8. Run

I had to find a way back to Yuka, she was not safe the longer she was with that psycho.

"So, you know the way out?"

"Yeah, it's actually really simple, you still have your piece of the doll right?"

"Yeah, I still do."

"Good, don't lose it. You will need that to get out of here. You will also need your friends."

"Have you figured out what we should do about you, Saenoki-chan?"

"No... Not yet, why?"

"I don't want to leave you here of course!"

He was actively thinking of me?

"Saenoki-chan, I have to tell you something..."

"It was probably because you were the most recent person I befriended, but the whole time we were apart, I was thinking of you."

I was too...

"Heheh, don't let Nakashima-san here that," I chuckled.

"So what if she does? I was concerned for one of my friends!"

"Just sayin," I shrugged.

"Nah, she shouldn't mind you, she probably hasn't seen you, it'll just take a little adjusting."

The bigger question was, would she remember me?

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I ran into Naomi-san earlier, I just told her to stay put."

"You, you joined up with her?"

"Mochida-kun!" A girl's voice voice called out from the open door near us. Naomi came out from the room and into the hall. "Did you find the others?"

"Unfortunately, no."

I hugged Satoshi and brought him closer to me, I was expecting a lashing from Naomi if she remembered. He put his arm around me.

"Satoshi? Who are you with?"

"This is Naho Saenoki from Paulownia Academy High School! I ran into her quite some time ago, and we're trying to help each other out."

"How so?"

"She's already trying to help find Yuka and the others, and she knows the way out! She'll help us get out of here!"

"Back to the real world?"

"Yeah!"

"But, what about our friends? The ones we lost?"

"What do you mean?" I don't think Satoshi had actually seen any of his friend's bodies yet.

"I woke up in the bathroom next to Seiko. She was dead! Stabbed and strangled. Recently, I also came across Mayu's body, also stabbed in a similar area like Seiko. Both of them were missing their ID's! Who knows what may have happened to the others? Morishige, Kishinuma, Shinozaki, I hope they are okay."

"Yeah, I hope so too, Naomi, but I'm sure they are fine." Satoshi sounded as optimistic as ever.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Say, Do I know you?" Naomi questioned me.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh...No... I've never seen you before..."

"I c

ould've sworn I've seen you before, Saenoki-chan... I remember seeing that pentagram you are wearing before..."

"Th-There are many pentagrams throughout this this school! It's a supernatural dimension remember, you can find this basically anywhere."

I hoped she didn't remember me.

"I guess, it's my imagination..."

"Yeah."

I sighed a little, relieved that she didn't remember.

"Mochida-kun, so are we splitting up or-"

"Saenoki, are you insane, I just found you and you want to split up?"

"It's not that I want to its just-"

"We're not splitting up," he interrupted, "we're staying together."

He was so strong with his words.

"Okay."

We had started searching around five minutes ago. Although they kept sensing that they were getting close, I could only really sense aggravated spirits around. So many it was starting to get hot in here. I removed my jacket. "Mochida-kun, could you hold this for me for a second?"

"Sure."

"Thanks."

Before I could take it back I heard something. "Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!" A faint scream! Yuka! The door was down the hall, near 100 meters away, and I think it was a direct doorway to her. I would have to leave To leave Satoshi though, after he said we weren't splitting up. I didn't want to leave but, if I didn't then Yuka would die. But, that was also what I had to do anyway, eventually I would have to end all of them...except for Satoshi, For whom my infatuation pushes my actions. I held my spot, it seemed I was the only one who could hear her screams, I waited, and said nothing.

Satoshi, he was so optimistic, it was as if he chose to ignore the darkness that's been dealt and look at nothing else but the little bright sides that there were. He was busy talking with Naomi currently. I couldn't quite tell if they were together, or if Naomi liked Satoshi, or if Satoshi liked Naomi, I was to frantic looking for Sensei at the time to devote attention to watch and figure out that. But, last time they were really attached to each other, would my efforts matter? He didn't seem to remember I was even here. My hand brushed against his. I pulled away embarrassingly. Without saying a word, or giving a notable glance, he reached out and caught my hand, holding it tightly and returning it to his side, fingers interlocked.

My cheeks, neck, and head flared. I was definitely not used to this! I almost let an outburst out, but I managed to suppress it to a little whimper, barely noticeable to an average ear. I looked up at Satoshi shyly, with just my eyes. His cheeks were red too.

I thought about him again. My grip tightened. His smile and laugh, and his optimistic eyes. Then, I got thoughts of a frown instead of a smile, a cry instead of a laugh, and a pair of really depressed eyes with tears flowing. I didn't want to see that from him.

But... If I didn't let Yuka, die than I would have to do it myself... But if I did, Satoshi, may no longer like me... But... I couldn't kill them all in the first place... But.. If I didn't, then I would be lost to Sachiko condemned to an eternity of suffering...

Screw the deal!


	9. Rescue

"You have to find the others, preferably have them with you by the time I return!"

"What are you talking about?"

I let go of his hand and ran down the corridor as fast as my legs could carry me. Throwing open and running through the door at the end, the force so strong that the door bounced back closed when it hit the end of its track.

The screams were coming from somewhere in this building! Which room contained the origin though? I frantically ran throughout the building trying to find Yuka.

"YUKA!" my voice sounded off, "YUKA! WHERE ARE YOU!?"

"KYAAAAAAAAAAA!" The return call was faint. At the time, it seems that she is still free and running.

"YUKA!"

"SAENOKI-SENPAI! HELP ME!"

"YUKA! JUST HOLD ON!"

I ran faster and faster, the doors on my left and right were just blurs on the wall. I was getting exhausted, a sensation I hadn't felt in years, but I couldn't stop now.

I came to the room where screams came from. The door was cracked open. Looking inside, I saw Yuka, her arms and legs were tied at the wrists and ankles and she was fastened to a wooden table. I burst through the door. "Yuka!"

"Saenoki-senpai!"

"Hold on, I'll try to get you out!"

I frantically tried at the ropes, but they were tied tightly and very well, like knots the Navy would use to moor a ship to the pier!

"Yuka! Your ropes are tied too tightly, there may not be enough time!"

"Kyaaaaaa!"

"Where is Yuuya?"

"I-I don't know!"

Footsteps thundered down the hall outside!

"Yuka, I have to hide!"

"Saenoki-senpai, don't leave me!"

I ignored her words and crouched behind the teacher's podium. I heard Yuuya storm in.

"Yuka! I heard someone else in here! It was that four eyed girl Naho wasn't it?"

"What brings her here? Your ropes are meddled with, but it seems she has left. It is just you and I now...Yuka, alone again. However, you didn't tell your big brother who was here when I asked...that requires punishment."

I heard the snipping of scissors.

"What kind of screams will you make, Yuka?"

Crap! I need to find something! Uh... Paper? No. Glass? No, too brittle. Near his feet lay a metal pipe. If only I could get to it. My hand brushed against something, a dull #2 pencil. It would have to do. I began sneaking my way around him, staying in the shadows of the desks and the darkness. But before I knew what was going on a sharp scream pierced my ears, it was from Yuka. Yuuya had driven the scissors into her stomach region! Blood was squirting out from the wound.

Yuka!

I ran up and closed what ever distance I had remaining and stabbed him through his back with the pencil. He stumbled just far enough for me to grab the metal pipe. He regained balance after the initial shock. Before he could even turn around, I swung the pipe, striking a lethal blow to the back of his head. He shot forward from the impact. The hit was loud, like a bat hitting a baseball, even I felt that hit. He fell on his face and didn't get up. The hit on his head was very deep, skull was shattered, and blood flowed from the wound and from his mouth and nose, it was gruesome, but he was done. I took his scissors and began sawing at the ropes with its blades. It was a slow process, but eventually, I got the ropes clear. Yuka was in a severe condition, bleeding out quickly. I picked her up and carried her with both arms holding her close. Thoughts of Satoshi clouded my thought and reasoning. I had to focus on getting her back to him.

I quickly ran through the cross planar door calling out his name.

"Satoshi! SATOSHI!"

"Saenoki-chan!"

"What's wrong- Yuka!"

"She's hurt really bad! We don't have a lot of time!"

"The infirmary! Maybe we could-"

"No!" I burst out, "Do not go to that cursed place! That won't help! We have to get her back to the real world. Nothing here will help her, this place is wired to make people die, and not let them survive!"

"But how?"

"Reversing the charm! Did you find the others?"

"Mochida-kun! Nakashima-san! Are you okay- Yuka-san!" Ayumi busted in.

"Yes, we found them all," Satoshi reinforced.

"Okay, hurry! Get your charms! She doesn't have a lot of time!"


	10. Escape and Aftershock

I was beginning to explain the reversal method.

"You have to chant 'Sachiko we beg of you' once for the amount of people involved plus one more for Sachiko!"

It was all over. They were going to get out.

"Remember to have your pieces held in close but not touching until you finish the chant!"

My spirit was damned to Sachiko, I had failed my deal.

"When you finish the chant, combine your pieces of the proxy doll and you should be expelled from this cursed ground!"

I had failed my deal, I was condemned to an eternity suffering. There was nothing left to lose. There was one more thing I could try. I had discovered Mayu's piece of the charm. It was on her person by her ID. I could try running from an inevitable fate. What ever happens, it's better than not trying at all. Anything, to try and be with Satoshi...

"Ready?"

"Ready!" everyone yelled.

"Sachiko we beg of you!"

"Sachiko we beg of you!"

"Sachiko we beg of you!"

"Sachiko we beg of you!"

"Sachiko we beg of you!"

"Sachiko we beg of you!"

One more.

"Sachiko we beg of you!"

There was a loud and ear killing scream that sounded through the whole school. It was ear drum bursting, the windows shattered and my glass's lens chipped. There was a bright flash of thunder.

Images flew through my eyes in the blinding, images of the people I had killed, images of Heavenly Host, images of scissors, crowbars, pencils, and metal pipes, then there was a blinding light. What happened to me?

I couldn't see at all, there was just a bright light in place of where my vision should be. For a full two minutes, for an eternity it seemed. I thought I was blind from the light, however my vision began to straighten itself out. I could barely make out the image of a chalkboard and a classroom. My ears were ringing and my head was spinning and aching, but I came to my senses. My vision cleared and straightened, however the jump through still heavily affected me. I was still groggy, my vision blurring from motion whenever I moved my head.

I was in a classroom. I stumbled to my feet almost losing my balance. Satoshi, Ayumi, Yoshiki, Naomi, and Yuka, we're still unconscious on the tile floor. The desks were larger than elementary school desks, the windows were more modern. There was a poster by the door.

_Kisaragi Academy Cultural Festival_

I shot backwards losing my balance and catching myself on a nearby desk. I ran to the window and looked out. It was night time, the moon was hidden behind some rain clouds. The schoolyard was illuminated with lamps with a sign by the front reading "Kisaragi Academy." This was definitely not Heavenly Host... That meant...it worked? I was in the real world?

I felt around touching just about every object in the class room, like a young child curious about his surrounding world, from chalkboard to desk, to the floor and even to the pencils that lay around the room. I looked out in the hall, but quickly pulled myself back in. If a teacher or the security guard saw me I'd be hauled out of here, I didn't go to Kisaragi, I was wearing a Paulownia Academy uniform! For now, I'd just have to trust that it worked.

The three IDs from my pocket fell out when I fell back down to the floor. I layed them out before me all three facing up at me.

* * *

Ow... Ow my head. I recognized the classroom, it was my homeroom. My friends were just starting to get up. We made it. Shinozaki, Yoshiki, Nakashima, myself, and Yuka! But where's...

I looked around the room and caught Saenoki kneeling on the floor crying. I sighed a breath of relief, she made it back with us.

"Saenoki-chan, what's wrong?"

"Satoshi..."

"Saenoki-chan...what's...what's wrong?"

I looked down and saw three IDs, they were all familiar faces.

"Satoshi? She actually made it back," Yoshiki began coming over.

"Hey, Saenoki, what are you crying over?-... Morishige? Suzumoto? Shinohara?" he saw the IDs. "What- Why do you have their IDs?!"

"You-You don't understand!"

"Oh don't I? When I... I mean, we asked you if you've seen them, you said you haven't seen them, yet you have their IDs and probably know very well what happened to them since they always have their IDs pinned to their uniforms!"

"Y-you don't understand!"

"You killed them didn't you Saenoki!? You probably even hurt Yuka! What kind of sick person hurts a child and then uses them to escape-"

"NO!" Saenoki yelled, "NO! I WOULDN'T HURT YUKA! I WOULDN'T HURT SATOSHI LIKE THAT!"

Huh, me? She killed them?

Yoshiki recoiled back.

"S-Saenoki-chan...d-did you kill them?"

She shot up to a stiff stance and help back a teary outburst turning to me but keeping her eyes covered.

"Satoshi... You don't...you don't understand," she hicced, "I would never hurt you, but I...I had this deal with Sachiko, the evil spirit. I...I wanted to be with you! And... I...had no choice, I wasn't in my right mindset, I wasn't myself. Satoshi...I..I love you!"

Naomi and Ayumi stuttered at that statement.

"You were the warmest and kind hearted anyone's ever been to me, you were there for me when I was at my darkest! You were the most understanding, and for that, I have to say... Thank you! But, now I know you must really hate me for what I've done! I'm sorry! I'm sorry Mochida-kun!"

She broke out into tears. Yoshiki raised his hand, about to strike her down, he was furious. Before he could swing, I grabbed his wrist and looked him sternly in the eye. He looked at me surprised, but before he could say a word, I grabbed Saenoki's wrists and pulled her into the hallway, shutting the door behind us, leaving my classmates speechless.

I pushed her against the wall. She looked up at me and I wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Saenoki-chan... Don't, don't cry."

"But, you're...you're mad at me, you'll never be happy at me again..."

True, I was a little disturbed that she just killed three of my friends, but I couldn't really be mad at her right now. I'd be more like Yoshiki right now if I was, but for some reason I couldn't.

Yuka had whispered to me when Saenoki was telling the instructions for the reversal that Saenoki had saved her from Morishige. I didn't really know what to make of it at the time, but it made sense now.

Saenoki... I couldn't really be mad at her right now, because she was affected by the darkening that whole time. She had lost mental stability and really had no choice. She thinks she knows what she was doing the whole time, but I know she really didn't have any control over her actions.

I drew her into a hug and held her tightly.

"Saenoki-chan, I'm not mad, you had know control over your actions."

"B-but Mochida-kun-"

"Shhhh, call me Satoshi from now on."

Her eyes shot open for an instant, then she buried her face in my shoulders and sobbed loudly.

"Shhh, it's okay. Your safe now, Saenoki-chan."


	11. Nightmares and Comfort

Satoshi didn't really say much to his friends. He hugged each of them and was thankful and happy to see them safe and sound but not much word, almost like he was in a rush. He took my wrist and Yuka's and rushed out the door to the entrance to the school, peeking around each corner looking for either a security guard or a teacher, only waving me to go when he was sure it was clear.

Yuka's wound had been stabilized by Satoshi's friends, and was now wrapped in bandages and constantly pressured, however we still had to drop her at the local hospital for further medical treatment for the internal wounds. She wouldn't be out for a few days, but wouldn't remain there past the end of the week, which was good.

We were now walking down the streets of the outskirts of the residential district. I couldn't really say I had anywhere to stay, or anything to do currently as Sensei's home was either locked or closed down and my parents...they lived in an entirely different region of Japan! Most likely I didn't exist on my school's records anymore especially due to my disappearance, so I was really a nobody, as if I was still lost to Heavenly Host. My cheeks flared with heat but I really had no choice...

"Umm...Satoshi...?"

"Yeah, Saenoki-chan!"

"I can't really say I've anywhere to stay tonight... My sensei is lost to Heavenly Host and his home is probably reclaimed by the city, and my parents...even if they actually still remember me, live in an entirely different region of Japan..."

"Oh...I see..."

"Yeah...this is kinda the first time I do'nt really have a place to stay, usually I'd just stay at a hotel for the night if that desperate however, most of my funds, either I left in Sensei's home or I'd discarded in Heavenly Host, so... I'm kind of out of options."

"Well...I guess you could stay with me tonight, my parents are out for today and tomorrow so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Thanks... Satoshi."

The Mochida estate was quiet and dark, almost like that cursed school...but the lights brought life to the small house and made the place lively. Satoshi had told me I could use Yuka's room temporarily, however upon trial, the door was locked and Yuka had the key. Out of curiousity I also tried the parent's room but to same effect.

"Satoshi..um, the doors are locked."

"Are you sure? All of them?"

He ran up and frantically tried at both the doors I had tried, same effect.

"Damn, I'm sick and tired of locked and unopenable doors!"

Well, that was no surprise to me after what he'd experienced.

He turned to me, his cheeks glowing.

"Saenoki-chan, uhhhh, I guess you are sharing rooms with me..."

My eyes shot open and cheeks flared. "Uhh, no its okay I could sleep on the couch, it doesn't much matter-"

"No! After all that, I...I think you should rest comfortably...I have two beds in my room so it won't be a problem!"

I then realized that he held my hands firmly in his.

"O-okay then, if it's no trouble," I exhaled.

...

I took my blazer off and set it down on the bed. I didn't really have much to work with so I'll just sleep in uniform. It's not like I haven't done it before, I've had some sleepless nights when writing novels. Satoshi flicked the lights out and layed down on the other bed. He was still on his uniform shirt, not even he had changed his attire. There were a few blood stains on shirt by the buttons, but he didn't seem to care much right now, he just lay there staring up at the ceiling with his hands resting behind his head.

"Saenoki-chan?..."

"Hmm?"

"You know it's not your fault right?"

"What?"

"You know...what happened, and everything."

Tears were being held back the whole time.

"O-of course they were, I-I am a terrible person... I was the reason you all ended up there in the first place and...oh, there so much I've done..."

"No...Saenoki, it's okay."

"I made a deal with Sachiko, I guaranteed her that eight out of the nine of you would be lost to that place, only leaving you alive...and I actually went through with four of them. I killed Shinohara, and Suzumoto, and Morishige, and Yui-Sensei, I did that!"

"Saenoki, you were affected by darkening the whole time. You didn't know exactly why you were doing the things you did, you didn't know any better."

"No, it wasn't darkening, that was just me being terrible."

"Your not terrible, you saved Yuka, twice she tells me. I wouldn't have her today if you didn't do what you did."

Tears were flowing down my heels from my eyes, but I held back any audible noise.

"Saenoki...it was darkening. When you did the things you did, did you experience any regret or objection like a question of, 'What am I doing?' or , 'What did I just do?' Anything?"

I thought back. He was right! Right after I stabbed Seiko, I had some hesitation, and after I had regret. After Mayu and Ms. Yui I also had regret...but I was still sure I did it all.

"You'll see it that way soon enough, Saenoki-chan. It wasn't," he yawned, "your fault..."

I just stared at the ceiling, at the shadows of the trees outside swaying back and fourth. I was lost on thought and the shadows on the wall. The more I looked at it the more images I could make out from the shadows. Scissors. People. The images were creepy. Then, the shadows did something really creepy. The black spaces made by the shadows all merged into one shadow, the shape of a young girl in a dress. I couldn't close my eyes, like I had no choice but to watch this happen. The girl had a pair of scissors in her hands. The shadow looked like Sachiko, and the shadow appeared to be getting closer and closer.

"Ahhh Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!-"

"Saenoki!" I heard call out. A warm hand placed on top my left. A jumped up and looked around, but it was just Satoshi. I looked up at the shadows on the ceiling at they were back to being the outline of tree branches waving in the wind. I was breathing heavily and rapidly. "Saenoki-chan, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing was wrong I just had...a nightmare you could say."

"I see... Saenoki-chan, you're safe. You're safe now, far away from that hell we we're trapped in."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right. I'm just really scared and shaken by those events. Sorry to disturb."

I rolled over facing away from his bed and closed my eyes, trying to go to sleep. "Goodnight, Satoshi."

I had yet another nightmare. I jumped in bed, shaken by more visions of scissors and Sachiko. I looked around and saw Satoshi, still by the bed side.

"Satoshi...?"

"Move aside."

He had a smile on his face, almost a laughing grin. "You didn't go but five minutes without having another nightmare."

I scooted to the farther side of the bed by the wall. Satoshi sat down on the edge of the bed then layed down facing me. Our faces were mere inches apart and our eyes were card on each others stare. W-what was going on. I could feel my face heat up. Good thing it was dark in this room, color difference wouldn't be noticed very well...

"Saenoki-chan, let me help you."

"Um...okay..."

"Lemme loosing that tie of yours, you're too uptight..."

He loosened the neck tie I wore, letting it hang down under the first button of my shirt. He then unbuttoned that buttoned making it a little easier to breathe. He remove the pentagram pin from my head a placed it next to my glasses. I can't believe I forgot to remove it! My hair fell casually to the bed. He then pulled the blanket up to our waist areas.

"Better?"

It was easier to breathe, I was more comfortable, and it was now warmer. Yeah.

"Yeah...that is much better..."

"Good, now sleep, rest, you're tired, now sleep that out."

"But nightmares, I probably won't be able to."

"You will, just try." He yawned heavily.

I turned over, facing away from him.

"Goodnight, Satoshi."

I felt his hand go around my stomach area and pull me closer to him. I was wide eyed.

"Goodnight...Saenoki-chan..."

His hold, it was very warm.

"Oh, and in your deal with Sachiko...why exactly was I the only one to be left alive hmm?" he sounded playful in his words.

"Because... I like you, Satoshi..."

The only response I got was his calm breath and another heavy yawn. He was out.

I closed my eyes, and drifted away, into a now peaceful dream state.


	12. Together

I got up to a peaceful rising sun in the east, it rays barely but perfectly and peacefully entering between the cracks in the curtains. One of the small rays passed through the lenses of a pair of glasses and shined on a red pentagram pin that rested on my bedside table. I sat up on the edge of the bed, yawning as I stretched my arms out. I looked at the clock, it was 6:50 AM, I had class in a little over and hour. Fortunately, I lived close to Kisaragi academy, if I rushed, I could run there in under twenty minutes, which would give me a lot of time to catch my breath and chat around, especially with Yoshiki, Naomi, and Ayumi.

I didn't have much care to change my entire attire, the blue undershirt I wore would have to remain constant today. I hastily changed the button down shirt from the previous day. There was a moderate stain of blood by the button line... I didn't even remember whose blood this was, and even though it may have been a friend's, I did not want to remember. I buttoned down a fresh shirt and threw on my gakuran, buttoning it down as well.

I was about to walk out the door, then I saw Saenoki, I remembered she was with me. She was curled on the bed, still in her uniform, hugging her knees. Her breath was steady and calm and there was no hint of her waking up anytime soon. I tip toed over to her side, and brushed her short hair out of her face and behind her ear. She was cute in this manor, it was a big change from her usually composed state of constant analysis. I had to take care of her, but I needed to go to school. I composed a note and left it under her glasses and hair pin, then slowly made my way out the door. Saenoki's maroon blazer hung on the door knob. It didn't bear an externally mounted name tag like our school, nor did it bear a school symbol, or crest, or coat of arms. It made her look professional at all times, since she almost always had it on. I made my way out the door and slowly and quietly shut the door.

I felt a slight rocking motion of the bed. I wanted to see what was going on, but sleep...it felt so good, so relieving. I couldn't keep my eyes open for more than mere seconds. Just a few scenes I could see. I saw Satoshi removing his uniform shirt from Heavenly Host, the bloodstain by the button line, and the tears here and there. Satoshi was hurt a bit, upon lifting his blue undershirt I saw a large black bruise on his side. My eyes shut but my feeling sense came up. I felt Satoshi brush my hair behind my ears. Before I new it heard the door shut. Satoshi...

* * *

I woke up. The sun was shining thought he cracks in the curtains now. There was also a draft blowing through the open window. I put on my glasses and looked around the room. I was back, this was the real world! I sat up, and this was Satoshi's room... He was at school, and wouldn't be back til three. I looked at the clock, it was two. Guess, I overslept. The alarm clock also told me that it was indeed Friday. There was an hour of school left before the weekend. I'll go meet Satoshi at his school upon dismissal. I got up and walked over toward his desk. There was a note laying on the desk top. "Will return at 3.-Satoshi." I found it to be only polite if I met him there instead of waiting here, besides there really wasn't much to do here.

The school bell rang behind the stone walls and metal gates that defined the perimeter of Kisaragi Acedemy. The flood of gakurans and sailor uniforms crowded the entrance way. Many of the students took notice of the Paulownia Academy uniform I wore, someone swear might have recognized me as an author of the supernatural. In the crowd, I saw Satoshi and his friends walking toward the front of the school. Satoshi noticed me, for obvious reasons, and hurried to me his friends following his lead.

"Saenoki-chan, you are here? How did you get here?"

"I wondered around, got lost a few times, bought a bottle of water, checked a map of the neighborhood a few times and arrived here."

"But why? I was going home anyway?"

"I was bored, there wasn't anything to do. Aren't you happy to see me?"

"I-I am, actually..."

His face was starting to flare.

"Satoshi...your friends are with us," I whispered.

He missed that completely.

"Naomi and Ayumi are looking at you."

"Huh? Oh," he returned.

Yoshiki didn't say anything else, just glaring at me, and at Ayumi and her concern about Satoshi.

"Well, uh, I'm gonna go guys, I'll see you guys on Monday."

"Hey, would you like to hang out later Satoshi, Naomi and I are pretty bored," Ayumi blurted out with a hint of desperation.

"Sorry, but I have a things I have to do and someone I have to take care of."

"Eh...?"

"Well then, see you guys later!"

We walked off. I wrapped my arm around his left arm and layed my head on his shoulders, drawing him near. He didn't protest, he didn't say anything. When we turned the corner, then he put his arm around my shoulders and held me tight.

"Let's spend the day with each other tomorrow, Saenoki-chan."

I looked up at him.

"Call me Naho from now on, Satoshi."

He looked at me, his cheeks red. He struggled to say something, maybe to protest, but before he could allow the words to come out, I pressed my lips against his cheek, holding for a good moment before withdrawing. He dropped what he was going to say and returned to looking forward and ahead.

"Let's spend tomorrow together, Naho."


	13. Always a First Time

Saturday was a very memorable day for me, I hadn't really ventured out into the world other than to investigate paranormal activity. Barely, had I gone out just to enjoy myself,me specially with someone, Sayaka was really the only person, and that was a rarity in itself. Never, had I spent a whole day with a boy before, excluding Sensei Kibiki.

We saw the sights around the area, visiting parks, walking around downtown, and even saw a movie together. Never had I thought I would be entertained by a movie other than a supernatural horror film. It was my first time watching comedy, and I was glad I could experience it with Satoshi.

Saturday had ended almost too quickly...as quickly as it had begun. At least, I still had Sunday. We were on a school uniform exclusive dress code. I did not force Satoshi to wear his school uniform on the weekends, however I did not have anything else to wear, and I guess he decided on his own at some point in time on Friday evening that he would do the same and wear his school attire. Yes, we stuck out like a bloodstain on a snow white bed sheet in the casual people's crowds, but we had each other, and that was enough.

It was 12 PM noon, Sunday. The wind was a gentle breeze, the water in the nearby lake had a transparent mirror effect and there was only slight disturbance to the stillness inthe wind. Once again, school uniforms were the dress for the day. Yes we got odd looks, but we laughed them off and made nothing of it.

The leaves in the cherry blossom trees were gently rustling in the afternoon wind and vibrant with color from the rays of the sun. I looked out over the lake, Satoshi's hand in mine.

"Naho, how was it like for you before all this? Before the charm, before the curse, before Heavenly Host? What was your life like?"

"Well... At the time it seemed good. I was a successful novelist, I had a great income, I was well known, and yeah, everything was all fine and dandy...but, something was always missing. I was quiet at school, basically none of my classmates really recognized me, in fact I was normally looked down upon and made fun of for being antisocial, but I didn't care. I had my books, my powers of being a medium, my experience and careers and I had my sensei, whom I developed a very passionate attraction to. Well, fast forward and my original time at Heavenly Host had come and gone. I had fallen susceptible to darkening and had killed my beloved sensei with my own bare hands. I had been a lost soul ever since. Then you came along. Opened my eyes, well, at least your friend Ayumi did...and some irrational things happened, people died, and now we're here."

"I see. You've had a rough time."

"You could say that..."

"You've never liked someone before have you?" he had a very playful tease expression on his face. I recoiled back a little.

"O-Of course I have! Have you missed what I just said?!"

"I meant of your own age smart one!"

"Umm, well..."

"Have you ever?"

"Uhh..." I was really blanking out.

"Have you ever had a boyfriend?"

I really had no answers.

"Come to think of it, you didn't mention confessing to Kibiki-sensei, or him sharing same feeling..."

That last bit pinched a bit.

"You don't have experience..."

I looked down at the bench we sat on in defeat. He was right. This was the first time I had willingly spent quality time with a boy around my age more or less. The first time, I felt something for someone other than sensei...

"You don't know what it's like being with someone," he continued.

"No...I don't, this really is the first time I had willingly spent quality time with a boy, more or less near my age."

"Well, we have a day. We'll spend it intimately together and return back here during sundown! See how you endure."

"Sure, Satoshi."

We casually walked thought the city. Holding hands as we explored. I can vaguely recall a particular cafe I favored somewhere around here. Ah, there it was! Across the street was the Cafe Sakura.

"Satoshi, let's stop by there!" I pointed.

"Sure."

I ordered a small latte and asked Satoshi what he wanted.

He ordered a simple chocolate muffin and a tall milk. He sat across from me, and waited patiently for our order. He glanced at me and within in instant, he upped and sat next to me. My face felt a bit warm as he took my hand. The server left our orders on the table.

"This a particularly favored cafe of yours, Naho?"

"Well, long ago, at least however long it's been since I first got stranded in the awful limbo, I came here and lounged around while working on my levels and other school assignments. I particularly favor their lattes."

"Oh I see."

"It's the first one I've came here with a boy, or...anyone for the matter."

"Likewise."

"Really? Not even with Naomi, or even Ayumi?"

"No...well, not one on one, always in a group."

"Oh..."

"Glad it was with you."

I set my drink down and turned his way. Before I could fully set a gaze at him, he pulled my in to a constricting hug, and just like times before, I eventually returned it. The sensations were overwhelming.

He finally released after a long pause. His gaze met mine and was fully centered on my face. The distance between us was minuscule. I could feel his breath gently impacting against my skin. He held my shoulders firmly between his hands. My hold on his palms were loosening without my will. His stare was as if he was looking through me. I couldn't hold it no longer, my eyes were getting really dry. I can't figure out what he was thinking behind that smirk and those constant blue eyes. I shut my eyes and a slight sting sensation broke out. As soon as I closed to darkness, I felt Satoshi press his lips against my cheek. My eyes shot opened, just fast enough to see him quickly pull out.

I was speechless.

My day with Satoshi, had also been my first.


	14. Naho's Nightmare

The sun was now beginning to set in the sky. The leaves on nearby Sakura trees went from a near-white pink to a deep rosy red, and they rustled gently in the light evening breeze. The waters of the nearby pond were now making nice calm ripples in the water as the sun lowered in the west. The path we walked on was starting to empty out, people were going home getting ready for the new week. As I walked, I couldn't help but fall victim to a deep thought that emerged every time a looked at anyone. At Satoshi, at the ten year old child and his father, at the passengers on the passing bus, at the bus driver, and back to Satoshi, I was looking at living people, people that belonged here. I was dead, well...at least was dead, I could help but feel as sense of not belonging. What were the possibel problems that could surface, I felt that something would happen that would right the discrepancy of me being "resurrected."

My grip tightened on Satoshi's hand at the thought. We have been walking hand in hand since we left the cafe.

"Naho, your grip tightens a significant bunch periodically, is everything alright?"

"Huh? Oh- Yeah... I'm... Okay..."

"Naho, what's wrong?"

His grip tightened.

"Nothing, it's nothing, I'm fine-"

"Tell me." He looked into my eyes with a straight stare.

I was speechless.

"What's wrong Naho?"

"I-It's just..." Tears began to shake my vision. "I feel I don't belong!"

"Why- What? What do you mean?"

"It's just... I don't belong here! I shouldn't be here! I'm dead! I am dead!"

"Naho, you're here! You are alive!"

"No, Satoshi! I don't deserve to be here! I died at Heavenly Host! I got so many people killed, I am still getting people killed! I killed your friends! I don't deserve to be here! I-I don't deserve you!"

"Naho wait-"

"No Satoshi! I shouldn't be here! I-I don't belong!"

I was immaturely wailing now, on my knees and crying. Satoshi knelt beside me and held my shoulders.

"Listen Naho, you are here. You made it out! I don't care about the past right now! Maybe later, maybe it will haunt me later in life, but I don't care about that right now. Right now, I am with you Naho, you are here, breathing, and living life. You had no control, you did what had to be done, you saved us! We wouldn't be here, I wouldn't be here without you!"

* * *

Naho was really breaking down right before me. What could I say though? A usually well composed person, she was falling to pieces severerly, and quickly too.

"Naho, listen. I am not sure exactly what you are thinking, or how those thoughts got into that smart head of yours, but I want you here! I am happy you are here! I wouldn't want you anywhere else, not in another city, not back at that damn limbo we came from, I want you here with me!"

Her arms wrapped around me and pulled me into a constricting hug.

"I-I feel that something, I don't know what but something will happen and I'll open my eyes, and I'll be looking at that demon Sachiko and I'd be back in Heavenly Host, all alone by myself again! I don't want that to happen Satoshi, I want to be with you!" she managed to cry out.

"And I want you to be here with me, Naho. I won't let anything of such to happen! And even if something like that we're to happen, I would return to that nightmare once again to bring you back! Even if it means working to points of extreme exhaustion, tearing apart the many fabrics and layers of that school. Nail by nail, board by board! I will keep you safe!"

She calmed down significantly after this. Her hug, loosened, however mine got tighter. I could feel her tears soaking through my gakuran and white shirt, however I was certain she could feel mine going through her blazer as well.

I didn't know what to say. I mean, what if she was right? How would I save her? would there be anything I could even do?

I held her tighter and closer.

"Let's go," I said, "let's get moving, I want to get out of here, back home."

"Ok Satoshi..."

* * *

We walked alongside each other for a prolonged period of time, it a word spoken between us. The only contact made being physical. The touch of each others palms, and the tightness of each other's embrace was all we really needed right now.

The amount if people we encountered on the way home really did decrease, more and more until there was no one but us.

"Lets pause a moment Satoshi..."

"Huh? Okay."

Naho sat down on a parallel stone barrier overlooking the edge of the water and the Sakura trees. The sun was basically gone from view, leaving nothing but an orange sky, now fading with dusk.

"What's the matter Naho?"

"Nothng Satoshi, I just want to pause a bit."

"Are you-"

"Yeah, I'm feeling much better... Because I'm with you..."

I stuttered a bit.

"Yeah, I like being with you too, Naho."

"Satoshi, there is something I have to say to you..."

She stared at the ground with a slight smile.

"Satoshi...I...I-I like you."

Her cheeks were engulfed in red.

"Me?"

I did have suspicions and was basically 100% sure of it, but the confirmation from alive confession, that is a very different story.

She could only nod and silent and embarrassed "yes."

There was no ideas of how to react popping up, just uncontrolled impulses. Out of reaction my arms grabbed her and pulled her close. Her hug was tighter than ever before, as if it was restricted by what she just confessed. Without letting go, we pulled our heads back and looked at each other's faces. Her glasses mirrored the evening surroundings. I could see the trees and orange sky in her lenses and layered a picture in its self, above her deep blue eyes.

My eyes shut instinctively. I felt her lips press against mine for a long minute.

For a moment the world, time, it all stood still.

After we withdrew, I finally said, "I love you too, Naho."

"Ever since I first saw you. You were brave, always optimistic, always positive. You truly caught my eye...and when you learned about all the evil I had done, you still didn't lash out at me...instead you cared for me. You were there especially when no one else was... Satoshi, I love you."

"The feeling is mutual, Naho. I will never let anything happen to you."

There was no body around us anymore, the walk ways were empty, everyone was home. The orange sky had dimmed to a soft but dark blue, transitioning to the black of night. There were no vibrant colors in the sky anymore and the street and walkway light posts had come on.

It was just the two of us and the warmth of each others hearts.

Suddenly, a thunderclap sounded. There wasn't a cloud in the sky! The ground shook violently. An earthquake?!

"Come on Naho! We have to get to safety!"

We got up and tried to start of running.

The sidewalk cracked and split upward. Naho's foot caught the suddenly uneven ground and tripped. I caught her hand and stopped her fall. She spun around to my direction. The ground split open into a large black hole! What was going on?

The hole was very black and you could not see the bottom. It seemed to drop forever! From the depths if the hole I heard the shriek of a young girl's scream. As it sounded out, I swear I could here the voices of many other shrieks and cries from what seemed to be hundreds of different girls join in the shriek. Finally the shrieking stopped and a thick, black mist rose out of the hole, gathering together in a mass cluster of black mist behind Naho's back. Just an arms distance away from her!

"Naho, get away from, that-"

Another tthunderclap sounded. The black mist flickered. A yellow line appeared that quickly split into a an opening, revealing a very bright red aura. A portal!

"Naho, get away from that portal!"

I tried to run to her. The moment my feet finally allowed me to run forward to her and try to pull her away, was a moment too late.

Quickly, a bloody pair of scissors shot through the portal and pierced straight through Naho's back. The blades pierced far through with so much force that they actually came out her stomach agree, piercing through her blazer as well.

"NAHO!"

As I got close to her, a shockwave erupted that pushed me to the ground. Naho coughed up blood and choked and gagged, grasping her wound, blood spilling out.

"Sa...to...shi..." she managed to sputter, "I...love..you."

The color, the life, in her eyes began to drain and her eyes changed into a lifeless gray tone, like the eyes of a dead fish.

I tried to get to my feet, I had to help her! The instant I got up, another shockwave broke out, blowing me down again. I tried to crawl forth since walking was not an option, but upon my first movement forward, another pair of scissors shot out, bullet-like, at my direction, barely missing me and ricocheting off the ground next to me.

The wind was blowing fiercely.

"Stay back...Sat..oshi, stay...safe," she coughed.

There was nothing I could do, but watch.

The scissors jerked sharply in reverse.

Naho whimpered in pain, coughing up more blood.

"Go fish," she managed to sputter.

The scissors quickly retracted from her back and returned to the darkness of the portal.

"Satoshi...I love...you... I..will miss you," she coughed.

I reached fourth and grabbed her hand.

"Don't go. Don't leave, please! Fight it! It'll be okay! Just hang in there!" I really didn't want to lose her! I promised I'd protect her, that I wouldn't let this happen!

A bloody hand reached fourth from the gateway, grabbing onto her blazer, then Sachiko, the girl with the red dress appeared in the gateway, managing to send chills down my spine.

"Saenoki-san... Did you think you could escape? I worked really hard to get here... YOU LIED TO ME!"

Naho, quickly let go of my hand at the precise moment. Sachiko pulled her toward the portal. Naho, struggled desperately to escape without grabbing on to me for fear of dragging me with her. With all the punishment, her body had endured from those scissors, she couldn't get free. She was dragged into the gateway and disappeared from view. Naho's scream echoed from the depths of the darkness.

I quickly stood up and charged at the portal, there was still a chance. At the instant I got to the gateway, it quickly shut, returing to black mist which I ran through. The black mist swiftly retreated back into the bottomless hole in the pavement. Thunderclapped and the ground shook violently. In the blink of an eye, the hole had shut, the ground that broke apart to open the cavern snapped together like linking blocks.

The ground stopped shaking and the wind settled down. The sky returned to a calm night and the area was peaceful again.

She was gone.

I fell to the ground looking for anything, anything at all to help her, but not a crack was to be found in the pavement, as if it never happened.

Just like that she was taken from me. I had failed.

I sat up, with tears building up. Something caught my attention.

On the ground before me, was a maroon pentagram hair pin, the one Naho wore in her hair. This was all I had left of her.

_"I love you, Naho."_

**This marks the official end of this tale. I hope you have enjoyed my first ever completed story! Please review, tell me your opinions, thoughts, and suggestions if you'd like. (I love reading reviews) I'm a big fan of Naho's character, so I just had to make a tale around her. I actually have an idea for a sequel if enough people are interested. The idea for a sequel to this story actually hit me while I was in the middle of this story, so let me know what you think! Once again, hope you enjoyed and please review! **

**T****il next time!**


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